Ogeechee Outdoors Fishing and Outdoors
These guys show you how to make an atlatl. It is a primitive technology used to throw a huge dart, not really a spear, fast enough that it would go through Spaniards armor. It wasn’t heavy enough to go all the way through. The tip kept it from being pulled out, and the armor kept it from being driven through. The Conquistadors were pinned in their armor waiting to bleed to death.
A simple dart-throwing stick with a handle on one end and spur (male end) or socket (female end) on the other end. The dart, a flexible spear, mates with the spur/socket when thrown. Typically about two feet long, an atlatl employs leverage to extend the arm’s length to propel a dart further and with more velocity than when thrown using only the arm. — Survival Sherpa
It is a simple piece of primitive gear but it harnesses energy in many ways that a hand thrown javelin or spear never could. The leverage from the atlatl itself multiplies the speed of the dart. The flexible dart also releases energy when it straightens out and flies. Together it is an amazing tool set that was used by many civilizations around the world. Tips were used from sting ray spines to stone arrowheads to create as much damage as possible.
Check out more about making an atlatl and darts on this great website.
